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LAST UPDATE | 10 Sep 2025
A GAZA-BOUND flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists, including Irish participants, came under attack for a second time as another of its boats was struck in a suspected drone attack off Tunisia’s coast last night, organisers said.
Aiming to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, the flotilla was due to resume its voyage today after being delayed multiple times by weather conditions and other issues.
The British-flagged Alma was docked in Tunisian waters yesterday, when it was “attacked” and “sustained fire damage on its top deck”, the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement, adding no one was hurt.
Three Irish activists trevelling on the Alma, including activists Fra Hughes and Tara Reynor O’Grady.
Activist and comedian Tadhg Hickey, who is taking part in the flotilla, was the only Irish person on board when the incident occurred.
“Second night, second drone attack,” Melanie Schweizer, one of its coordinators, told the AFP news agency.
The incident comes a day after organisers said another one of their boats with two Irish activists aboard was hit by a similar suspected drone attack.
Flotilla activists said they would continue their “peaceful voyage” today as planned, as the flotilla “presses forward with determination and resolve”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris has said that “any attack on civilians is a clear breach of international law”.
He said he was very concerned by reports of the suspected drone attack and that his Department of foreign Affairs was providing consular assistance to Irish citizens.
Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, posted video of the burning Alma and said it indicated a drone attack.
“Video evidence suggests a drone – with no light so it could not be seen – dropped a device that set the deck of the Alma boat on fire,” she wrote on social media.
She added that a device found aboard the boat that was attacked on Monday was an “incendiary grenade” wrapped in plastic materials dipped in fuel, which could have been set on fire before landing on the ship.
The flotilla arrived in Tunisia at the weekend and was anchored off the coast of Sidi Bou Said, north of Tunis, when it reported the first incident.
Some members of the flotilla said they saw the drone, adding that the boat’s bow caught fire immediately after.
Tunisian authorities said “no drones” had been detected, but security sources told The Journal yesterday that, based on the footage, it may have been a drone.
Sources added that this drone would likely have to be launched nearby, at it would be small.
These drones, used by Ukraine against against Russian forces in recent years, can carry a payload – possibly an explosive, or incendiary device.
Sources also suggested that video of the incident pointed to the item being an illumination round rather than an explosive one, as no detonation could be seen.
The activists did not blame Israel for the suspected attacks in their statement but said “they come during intensified Israeli aggression on Palestinians in Gaza, and are an orchestrated attempt to distract and derail our mission”.
The Israeli military did not respond to AFP’s request for comment on Tuesday.
The United Nations declared a man-made famine last month in parts of Gaza, warning that 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.
Sumud means “resilience” in English, and the flotilla describes itself as an independent group not linked to any government or political party.
Among its high-profile participants is environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
Additional reporting from Andrew Walsh and Jane Matthews
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